


And If Time Was Still, We'd Have No Fear Or Scars To Heal, In Our Hearts Without Chains

by ElizabethOlsenIsMySpiritAnimal



Series: After Laughter [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18651133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizabethOlsenIsMySpiritAnimal/pseuds/ElizabethOlsenIsMySpiritAnimal
Summary: He takes the stupid with him. Puts things back in order. And gets back something lost.





	And If Time Was Still, We'd Have No Fear Or Scars To Heal, In Our Hearts Without Chains

**Author's Note:**

> [Hearts Without Chains / Halcyon Days / Ellie Goulding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BRs56KMVKY)

_ " IF PEOPLE KNEW WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO DIE, I THINK THEY PROBABLY WOULDN’T LIVE AT ALL.” _

_\- Death,_ _ Reaper Man _

//

“Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

Sharon Carter watches as her boyfriends banter, that old familiar cadence they so love to put on in front of her bringing a smile to her face. Steve’s arm touches Bucky’s arm. 

“I’ll be back, Buck.” He says, and then the blonde gives him a kiss on the cheek. 

And, faster than anyone can follow, with the exception of the long-haired 90’s junkie, Steve wraps Sharon in his arms, pressing his lips to hers. “I won’t be long, Sharon.” He says, giving her a kiss, once, twice, and then another for good measure.

“What, I don’t get the passionate goodbye?” Teases Bucky, and Sharon laughs softly.

“You’re too big for that.” Steve says, letting go of Sharon. 

There’s a clearing of a throat behind them.

“Apologies, but we ah...have a schedule to keep.” Bruce says. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Steve says in the most theatrical voice he can, and he walks over to the platform and stands on it, looking all dramatic and Captain America-like.

“Five...four...three...two...one..”

With a pull of a lever, Steve vanishes, and Sharon and Bucky settle in to wait. 

…

Asgard is beautiful.

The guards being everywhere, not so much.

Fortunately, Steve spent the better part of World War Two skulking around behind lines, trashing HYDRA facilities, and between that and all the training SHIELD had given him in the art of being stealthy, sneaking into the vault to return the Aether to its proper place is a fairly easy feat. Of course, the issue of said “proper place” being within Jane Foster is a bit less of an easy feat, but he manages it.

He only has to shank Jane four times to get the Aether back into her, after all.

She’s fine. Mostly. Her arm will be sore for awhile, but at least things will be back to normal-ish once he leaves. He makes his way to Asgard’s vault and is in the middle of placing Mjolnir back in its place when he runs into Frigga.

“You could always have the dwarves make you a hammer when you get back.” 

Steve whirls around and freezes, feeling just like how he and Bucky had been when his mother had caught them in the aftermath of the Great Window Incident. “I’m tempted.” He says, giving her a little smile, feeling very much like how he did when his mom used to speak to him when he was in trouble. “But I’d like to think my days on the battlefield are over.”

“If there is one thing I have learned, Steven.” Frigga says, wise and serene as she walks over to him. “It is that no matter what we think, there will still be something unexpected.” She places a hand on his shoulder and gives him a warm smile, and he feels like he’s a kid again. “The hammer found you worthy.” She muses, as she lifts the thing as daintily as one would pick a flower. “It chooses well.” 

“I was just trying to help my friends.” Steve says. 

“I know you were.” Frigga replies, setting the mystical hammer down with the ominous hum that usually comes from said weapon. “And that is why you were chosen. You did not wield it to harm others or for selfish means, you used it to save them.” Her hand leaves his shoulder. “Thor is lucky to have a friend such as you. In both your time and mine.”

“He misses you.” Steve says. 

“I know.” Frigga says. “Though he tried to deny it at first, I knew at once that my son lost much in the years to come from this day henceforth. I am glad to have helped him find peace with himself.”

Her hand comes back up to Steve’s shoulder. “And you will find peace too. Once you return to where you came.” He feels a tingling sensation across his spine. “Be well, Steven.” Frigga says.

And he’s gone.

…

The first thing he does in New York is find Rumlow and his team.

He uses the Mind Stone to bring their memories back to the point before he’d shown up, and as far as they’re concerned, they had the sceptre in hand until the hand-off with another team, at which point Loki, in possession of the Tesseract, warped in and stole it, only to be intercepted on his way out by the other Captain America, who stopped him.

To complete the deception, he finds Loki, beats the crap out of him, which is easy enough to do with five stones to Loki’s one, and leaves his unconscious form near the other Cap. He uses the Mind Stone to rewrite the memories of both men, making it look like the other Cap defeated Loki, only to keel over from a combination of exhaustion and injury. And, for good measure, he breaks a bunch more things to give the impression it was a hard fight, which it probably would’ve been.

And, naturally, he leaves the other Tesseract lying close to Loki’s form, along with the scepter, after he dumps it out of the case and makes it look like Loki broke his chains and the case before engaging the other Cap in a fight.

And thus, with the Mind Stone accounted for, he rushes off to the Sanctum. He follows the twists and turns of the city, until finally, it takes him to the building he’d passed by so many times in those terrible five years after the Snap.

“So...Professor Banner was right. You succeeded.”

He comes to a halt, and the woman standing before him looks pleased, despite the fact that her lips are set in stone and her face is stoic enough that it would give Natasha a run for her money.

“You must be The Ancient One.” Steve says.

“I am.” Says the woman, as she walks over to him and, with a wave of her hand, summons the Time Stone from his hands. “I assume Thanos has been defeated?” 

“He has.” Steve responds. “The stone proved vital to reversing the course of action he set us upon and putting an end to his tyranny.”

“Good.” The Ancient One says, replacing the stone within the Eye of Agamotto. “Then all will be well. Everything will proceed as it should.” She gives him a respectful nod. “Inform Professor Banner that our business is concluded, and do tell him that should he find a need to return to this time, that he should prepare a more compelling statement in the event he needs an artifact of mine.”

Steve smiles with amusement. “I’ll be sure to do that, ma’am.” 

“Farewell, Steven.” The Ancient One says, closing the door behind her. 

He synchronizes his watch.

Three down, three to go.

…

Vormir is cold.

So cold, in fact, that Steve is briefly reminded of the ice, and he has to take a moment to remind himself that he’s not about to crash the Valkyrie into the Arctic ice shelf. He shudders, uses the Space Stone to provide a buffer, and begins walking.

He walks, and walks, until he reaches the top of the mountain that Clint had recalled needing to go, the mountain where Natasha didn’t come back. 

“Welcome Steven, son of Sarah.” 

He brings his shield up instinctively, and it is with a sinking heart that he realizes the creature that floats down from the whipping winds is indeed, Johann Schmidt.

“You.” 

“Me.” Says the Red Skull, with none of his usual arrogance or sneering tone. “It has been a long time, Steven.” He says, pulling back his hood, revealing an aged, weathered red face. The fire that once burned in the Red Skull’s eyes no longer exists, and he seems  _ tired _ , for lack of a better word.

“So this is what happened to you.” Steve says, as he looks upon the man that haunted his dreams. “Proof that misusing an Infinity Stone brings only pain.”

“That is true.” Schmidt says. “For almost a century, I have remained here, wandering this planet, protecting the Soul Stone from all those who would seize it for themselves. Only those who proved themselves understanding of its power were permitted to use it. And of them, there was only one who had the willpower to take it. Before the other came.”

“Clint said the only way to gain it was by sacrificing someone.” Steve says.

“Yes.” Goes the Red Skull. “It is the only way. A soul for a soul.”

“So if I return this...will it bring Natasha back?” He asks.

In answer, the Red Skull gives a single, solemn nod. 

“A soul for a soul.” He repeats. “To have this power, you must sacrifice the one you love. To have the one you love, you must sacrifice this power. Clinton understood the first tenet, he did not understand the second, nor did he have time to be elucidated on the subject, given the urgency of matters in your time.” 

“Well, we’ve wrapped those matters up quite nicely, I think.” Steve says. “And just so you know, HYDRA is-”

“-dead.” The Red Skull says. “With you alive, I have no doubt they have been eradicated.” 

Steve nods. The cloaked man sighs. “I suppose it is fitting, Captain. We are the last remnants of a time long past. You and I, alike in so many ways, and different in all the ones that truly mattered.” 

“What, no cry of anguish? No demand for a final battle?” Steve says. 

The Red Skull shakes his head. “It is...freeing, to learn that I am all that is left. There remains nothing for me on Earth, and thus I do not need to concern myself with it once you are gone.” His gaze turns outwards, towards the landscape far below. “Let us conclude our business, Steven. I have no wish to see you again, nor do you, I imagine.”

“You’ve got that right.” Steve says, and he tosses the stone over the side.

Somewhere far away, Natasha wakes up.

...

“I have to admit, with you around, this might be easier.” 

“Might?” Natasha asks, giving him a little grin. “Please, Steve. I’m a spy. I could waltz right in there and put the stone back with my eyes closed.” 

“So why don’t you?” Steve questions, smirking, glad that Natasha is alive and hale before his eyes. “I could just take a nap out here, it’s nice and peaceful, after all.

“Because you’d miss me, fossil.” She says. “And you know you like the show.” 

“That I do.” Steve responds, and they walk into Camp Lehigh together.

Hank Pym is in the middle of panicking about  _ something _ out by the front gates of the office they’d walked into, and thus the distraction works to their advantage when they walk inside, replace the stolen vials of particles that his future incarnation had so generously provided for the purposes of setting things to rights, and into the storehouse where the Tesseract is supposed to be.

“You didn’t tell me Stark burned the thing out of its casing.” Natasha says, as she stares at the half-melted container the Tesseract.

“Slipped my mind, letting you know what happened to him.” Steve says, his voice taking on a grim tone for the briefest of moments. “Anyways, let’s get it back in there, make it look like the thing simply burned its way out or something. Get Howard to put it someplace more secure than in a storehouse like this.

“Done and done, Rogers.” Natasha says, producing a small torch and burning more of the Tesseract’s casing to sell the deception. “Now, shall we go?”

Steve shakes his head.

“One more stop.” He says, and he meanders into the office he’d been in the last time around. He pulls down the blinds ever so slightly, and catches a glimpse of Peggy. The woman is talking with someone on the phone, and Steve catches a glimpse of a ring on her finger. In some ways, the ring reminds him of all the time they’d spent together. A life together after the war. A family. Growing old together.  


He lets his gaze linger upon the woman that he could’ve had everything with.

And then he turns away.

…

Morag is wet.

Rainy.

It reminds Steve of home, actually.

Natasha shudders slightly, as they pass by the Milano, parked in the place that Star-Lord in the future had so helpfully recalled. The redhead takes a moment to brush her fingers against the thing, and slowly, they make their way into the temple. 

They find Star-Lord of the Past lying where Rhodey had indicated, still unconscious, because for him its only been a few minutes, not the days and weeks it has been in their time. Natasha hauls him off to his ship, and, following advice given to Steve by Star-Lord of the Future, makes it look like he’d been daydreaming about what he’d done in the Temple, so he can re-do it and set the correct sequence of events in motion.

“So, no traps?” Natasha asks, staring at Steve as he places the Orb in its rightful place and walks back towards her.

“Not this time, no.” He says, just as the horribly-sung tune of  _ Come and Get Your Love _ echoes. “And I think it’s time for us to leave.”

“That it is.” Natasha says, and together, they vanish, just in time for The Star-Lord Who Was to come into view, singing at the top of his lungs.

…

There’s a flash of light.

And Steve stumbles into view, with-

“Natasha!” Bruce shouts, the big green man bounding up the steps of the Quantum Machine to embrace her as best as his big, beefy arms can. “It’s you. It’s you. It’s really you!” He repeats, over and over, and Natasha returns the hug, even though her arms only partially embrace the Hulk’s massive frame.

“I’m back.” She says, looking up at him and giving Banner a warm smile. “And I’m not going anywhere this time.” 

“Clint’s gonna be so excited to see you again!” Bruce says. “I gotta call him. Or maybe we should just grab a Quinjet and go visit him directly! God, it is so good to see you again, Nat. We missed you…” 

His voice trails off as he and Natasha find a place to sit down and talk in private. Steve suspects their relationship will blossom anew, after that weird, stilted attempt during the days of Ultron. 

“Punk!” Bucky shouts, all but tackling him off the platform in his delight. “You’re back!” 

“I was only gone for a few seconds!” Steve says, but he accepts the hug, just as Sharon dashes in and leaps into the pile, pinning him squarely to the grass and holding him tightly. 

“They were a few seconds too long.” Says the blonde. “Way, way too long.”

Steve works his arms out from underneath the duo, returns their embrace with one of his own.

They remain that way for awhile, he doesn’t know how long.

“So ah, you lovebirds know this is public property, right?” Sam asks from somewhere to his left, and Steve sits up from the entangled mess of limbs. “I mean, it’s technically  _ our _ property, but still, it’s kinda public for displays of affection involving grinding.”

“I’ve been gone a long time.” Steve says. “I’m sure no one’ll mind.”

“I mind.” Sam responds, giving an amused smile. “I have no interest in seeing the junkies’ naked ass.”

“It’s a very fine ass, I’ll have you know.” Bucky says, rolling over, grass in his hair. “Sharon says it’s nice.” 

“Sharon would say your hairy armpits are nice.” Sam responds.

“Sharon says they’re not nice, and you need to shave them.” The blonde in question says. “But Sam does have a point. Shall we carry on the celebration in private?”

“Ah...later.” Steve says, and his stomach grumbles. “I’m starving. Been gone a while, all that time travelling makes a man hungry.”

“Food it is, then!” Bucky shouts. “I’m ordering!”  

As Steve learns later, Clint was beside himself when Natasha showed up on his doorstep with Bruce. He learns even later that Auntie Nat and Uncle Bruce will be staying with them for the foreseeable future, which he imagines is Clint simply not wanting to let Natasha out of his sight for fear that something will happen to her again.

“Don’t worry.” Sam says, when he spots Steve packing his bags one morning. “I’ll take care of the team while you’re away with your paramours.” He says.

“I might be gone a long while.” Steve responds.

“Good.” Sam says. “It’ll give me more time to institute No Pants Friday.”

Steve laughs, all the way out the door.

…

They go back to Wakanda, the three of them.

“Didn’t know you had a farm.” Sharon says, casting an amused glance at Bucky. “Seems you like roughing it, in more ways than one.”

The man snorts in amusement.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have all the technology you could possibly want brought over from the states.” The man says. “Or I could just ask Shuri to give you some Wakandan tech. Trust me, it blows the stuff in the States out of the water.” 

“Later.” Sharon says, as they enter the house. “Because we-” Her hands take those of Steve and Bucky and she begins leading them towards the bedroom. “-are going to celebrate.”  

The door shuts behind them, and what happens next is strictly between them.

Probably.

…

“If I had known you were going to put  _ upgrades _ into the arm, I would’ve stopped you.” T’Challa says.

“Well, that’s why I didn’t tell you.” Shuri says.

…

_ Have you lost the same things I have lost? _

_ Do you know that panic I know? _

_ Would I see the terror in your face? _

_ Do you know that fever I know? _

_ I wish time was still _

_ We'd stay right here _

_ With time to kill in our hearts without chains _

_ \- Ellie Goulding _

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is your friendly Hyperion CEO speaking.
> 
> So ah, we continue our Post-Endgame coping series with a look into the Star Spangled Man, whose story as you are no doubt well aware of was wrapped up in this movie. From a movie-goer's point of view, it's totally fitting. Steve goes back, has his dance, marries Peggy and lives happily ever after. I absolutely love it when I'm watching the MCU without my fanfiction mindset...
> 
> ...but I'm super hardcore Romanogers. I'm legitimately disappointed it didn't (and will never) happen in the MCU. Now you're probably wondering "Oh Handsome Jack, why didn't you make this story be all Romanogers then? Why are Steve and Bucky and Sharon totally having a threesome at the end of the story?", well, it's because I wanted to kind of sort of make it canon compliant in the kind of way that would fit with Bruce being all anguished and everything as he is in the movie after that incident that made me sob, so that's where this came from. 
> 
> And also to do a bit of justice for Sharon, who got pretty fucked over in the MCU with about like what, fifteen minutes of screentime? So hence the established relationship and implication that she, Steve and Bucky have been a thing for a long time, only interrupted by the snapping of a Mad Titan. And rather naturally, they're totally having some celebratory "oh wow we survived" sex, which I can't describe in this series because this one is more about coping with Endgame and not about sex, which is my wheelhouse when it comes to writing. Though, that celebratory sex they totally had after the end of the story might get written one day if my muse pulls me in that direction, which it's not really doing right now.
> 
> Though the smutty stories will continue, that much is for sure. Keep an eye out, those among you who like that stuff.
> 
> And buy Hyperion.


End file.
